The Health Minister's Car

David Penberthy is a journalist working for the Telegraph in Sydney. To his mates he is often known as Pembo, or even occasionally 'el-guapo'.

Meet the Minister's car

Seen here safe and sound in the car park under NSW state parliament. During the leadup to the 2001 Australian Federal election Penbo drove this car about the countryside talking politics with the bushies. The series of interviews was very successful and the car became a minor celebrity in its own right.

We borrowed the car

After the campaign the car was auctioned off to the Minister for Health, the right Honourable Craig Knowles MP. The proceeds of the raffle went to charity. Pembo and I figured we needed to take the car out for one last burn so we sneaked into the carpark underneath Parliament House and, um, pinched it. Our joy ride was short lived however. We had just crossed the Pyrmont bridge when disaster struck.

We broke it

I'm not sure what we did but there was this most horrific thunk and scrape from beneath the car so we stopped.

Traffic hazard

The car was well and truly gounded by now and we were a major obstacle to some serious peak hour traffic. Great bonnet scoop though don't you think.

International rescue

Sydney's highways are closely monitored by cameras, unlike the carpark of state parliament. Within about 5 minutes of the breakdown the emergency highway clearence squad arrived having seen the impact of our breakdown on the general flow of traffic. We stood out like dogs balls

Pump it up

They jacked up the car, climbed under it and affixed what we Australians call an 'occie strap' to hold the suspension in place temporarily. "This'll get youu off the highway" they explained and so it did. We drive very slowly up and around the corner, out of harms way.

Pembo looks impressed

We broke down again almost 20 metres off the highway. Distraught, stranded and without beer, we called Pembo's wife, Georgia, and demanded she bring us beer.

Georgia to the rescue

After much protest - she hates this car - Georgia arrived with - LIGHT BEER! She drove off home again leaving us to our fate. We phoned a tow truck and settled in with our light beer to wait.